Fundraiser for Cork woman battling eating disorder surpasses €60k target in three days

Lisa Murphy feels the only way she can get the inpatient treatment she requires is by telling her story publicly. 

Lisa Murphy, whose family and friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign for private inpatient care to treat her eating disorders

Warning: this article contains content that may be triggering to some 

"This is the only existence that I know and it's so horrific every day."

A Cork woman has gone public with her struggle to get help for an eating disorder she has been suffering with for 12 years.

Lisa Murphy feels the only way she can get the inpatient treatment she requires is by telling her story and trying to raise the money to pay for her care.

Following a suicide attempt in March of this year, a family member posted an anonymous account of a typical day in her life online in the hope that it would lead to securing her a bed in an inpatient eating disorder facility.

Since then, Lisa has spoken anonymously to The Echo on a number of occasions and her case has been brought up in the Dáil.

While all of this brought attention to her plight, it has not resulted in securing Lisa the inpatient treatment she desperately needs.

"I've lost count of the amount of consultants and people on mental health care teams that I have cried to and begged to get me in somewhere," the 31-year-old said.

There are only three inpatient beds for eating disorders in the country - all of which are located in Dublin. Due to her illness, Lisa cannot get health insurance.

So far this year, Lisa has been hospitalised seven times.

She has been offered counselling sessions once a week over 20 weeks but no residential treatment programme.

"Particularly in the last couple of years, it's just gotten to a point where it is life or death and I just can't access the level of intensive support that I need."

Lisa's eating disorder began as a teenage and quickly took over her entire life.

"It's morphed into something now that is bigger than me. I would make myself sick well over 50 times a day," she told PJ Coogan on the 96fm Opinion Line.

"I'm financially ruined because it costs so much money to buy so much food. I've had to stoop to some very, very low behaviours and harm myself in ways that I didn't even think were imaginable when this all started."

Although she tries her best to stop the cycle, Lisa describes it as like being under someone else's control.

"Sometimes I'm crying to myself, asking myself to stop and I just can't and I don't know how to control it anymore. It doesn't even feel like me that's doing it."

That she is aware of the damage she is doing to herself and the repercussions of it is an indication of how out of control it is, Lisa explains.

"I'm under no illusions of how severe this is but I just can't stop... because it's kind of become the only way I know how to live, it is both kind of my best friend and my worst enemy."

In a heartbreaking admission, Lisa said: "I don't know how I will be able to live in the world without it but I know that it will kill me one way or another."

Lisa believes the only way to prevent this tragic outcome is being able to get the 24-hour support that is available in a residential treatment programme.

'Help us help our friend Lisa'

In order to help Lisa to get the necessary care, her friends started a GoFundMe to try and raise the funds needed to pay for it.

In less than three days, the group have surpassed their €60k target.

Lisa is grateful for the support she has received from family and friends saying she is incredibly lucky to have them in her life.

Reading the GoFundMe page set up by her friends, it is clear to see they feel the very same.

"Lisa is one of the bubbliest and friendliest people you could ever meet. People take an instant liking to her. She could walk into a room of strangers and get along with any type of person.

"She instantly puts people at ease with her ability to relate to others and make them laugh – her personality is infectious.

"We feel very lucky to call her our friend. She has brought so much joy, laughter and happiness to our lives."

The treatment facility has assured that there will be a place for Lisa on a 12-week inpatient eating disorder programme once the funds are secured.

Lisa visited the centre last week and believes it is just what she needs.

"At any given point there are about eight to 10 staff, whether they be the nurses or psychologists or dietitians.

"There is always people there to help you. It's a beautiful centre, it's more like a very big house as opposed to a kind of clinical residential facility.

"The whole emphasis is on wellness and just supporting people to break the cycle because my body just won't take it anymore."

If you would like to donate to the fundraiser for Lisa's treatment, you can do so here.

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.